As the political parties represented in the Nagaland Legislative Assembly (NLA) finalised the formation of an all party government on Saturday in Kohima, the house resolved that the new government will be called the United Democratic Alliance.
“The nomenclature of United Democratic Alliance (UDA) for the Opposition-less government in Nagaland has been unanimously resolved by the legislators and party leaders of NDPP, BJP, NPF and Independent MLAs,” chief minister Neiphiu Rio tweeted after the decision.
Government spokesperson, Neiba Kronu told journalists that the legislators will be writing to the assembly speaker in the next few days for formation of the UDA. Earlier it was announced that the new government will be called Nagaland United Government but Kronu said it was decided during Saturday’s meeting that UDA would be more appropriate.
On July 19, the Opposition party, Naga People’s Front (NPF) passed a resolution for constituting an all-party government without preconditions, requesting the chief minister’s consideration with the aim to jointly push for an early political solution to the Naga issue. Initially, while the ruling Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP) lauded the move, Central Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders were reported to be not so enthused over the development. The BJP is a major ally of the NDPP in the government and CM Rio is said to have convinced the Central BJP leadership in Delhi.
This is not the first time Nagaland will be having an all party government. The state has had a government with no Opposition in assembly in 2015 during the third tenure of the NPF-led Democratic Alliance of Nagaland (DAN), when the Congress MLAs joined the government and subsequently merged with the ruling NPF. But this time, a coalition has been formed without merging.
{{/usCountry}}This is not the first time Nagaland will be having an all party government. The state has had a government with no Opposition in assembly in 2015 during the third tenure of the NPF-led Democratic Alliance of Nagaland (DAN), when the Congress MLAs joined the government and subsequently merged with the ruling NPF. But this time, a coalition has been formed without merging.
{{/usCountry}}The government spokesperson also informed that no decision was taken on Saturday’s meeting on sharing of portfolios with the NPF.
In the house of 60, NPF has 25 MLAs, NDPP has 20, the BJP has 12, and there are two independents, while one assembly seat is vacant after Shamatore-Chessore MLA Toshi Wungtung of NDPP died on July 1.
Although, Nagaland’s lawmakers are not directly involved in the Naga peace talks, elected members over the years have, cutting across party lines, held that they would play a facilitating role for settlement of the long-standing problem.